Improving the lives of animals

POINT PLEASANT — Honoring the memory of animal lovers has helped life get a little more comfortable for four-legged residents of the Mason County Animal Shelter.

Though the shelter has a heating and cooling system, the high ceilings often made it difficult to regulate the temperature in the building. Despite running the air conditioner at full blast, the temperature on warm days sometimes wouldn’t drop below 82 degrees, until now.

Thanks to a donation from Rusty Nott of Point Pleasant and a grant from the Robert and Louise Claflin Foundation, a project to place a drop ceiling in the shelter was recently completed. The total cost of the project was $5,165 with Nott contributing $2,600 and the Claflin Foundation funding the remainder.

Nott made the donation in honor of his late wife Brenda and daughter Sarah. Brenda passed away from health issues in 2016 and Sarah was tragically killed in an automobile crash on Route 2 in 2014. Both women were avid animal lovers and often visited the shelter to bring supplies, Rusty said.

“I came up here (to the shelter) this summer to see if I could do something for the animals here,” Rusty said. “John (Gerlach) told me about the project and I wanted to do something to help the animals stay cooler in memory of Brenda and Sarah.”

Rusty still cares for Sarah’s two beagles, Maddie and Mollie, who came from the Mason County Animal Shelter.

“I am honored to be working with the Nott family on this,” Stephen Littlepage, administrator for the Claflin Foundation, said. “I’m pleased that someone from the community came forward (to help) and to honor someone whose life was tragically cut short. The foundation likes when we can partner with someone.”

Littlepage guessed the foundation has probably contributed around $40-50,000 in improvements to the shelter over the last few years, including fencing, covered outdoor kennels and a fenced in yard for dogs to exercise. Before leaving the shelter on Friday, Littlepage spoke with shelter staff about improvements the foundation could make to the cat room in a continuing effort to improve the lives of local animals. The Claflins were known for their love of animals and the foundation specifically favors funding projects that benefit cats and dogs in Mason County.

Also on hand to tour the improvements, County Administrator John Gerlach and County Commissioner Rick Handley who both expressed their appreciation for the contributions from Rusty and the Claflin Foundation.

Leading the tour were Mason County Dog Warden Gary Trout and Mason County Animal Shelter Manager Betty Neville.

Pictured touring improvements to the Mason County Animal Shelter, from left, Stephen Littlepage, Shelter Manager Betty Neville with Fred, Rusty Nott, Dog Warden Gary Trout with Mason, Commissioner Rick Handley, County Administrator John Gerlach. Both Fred and Mason are available for adoption at the shelter.

http://www.mydailyregister.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2017/09/web1_9.9-PPR-Shelter-1.jpgPictured touring improvements to the Mason County Animal Shelter, from left, Stephen Littlepage, Shelter Manager Betty Neville with Fred, Rusty Nott, Dog Warden Gary Trout with Mason, Commissioner Rick Handley, County Administrator John Gerlach. Both Fred and Mason are available for adoption at the shelter.

Dog Warden Gary Trout, center, speaks to Rusty Nott, at left, and Stephen Littlepage of the Claflin Foundation at right, who both helped fund a project to regulate the temperatures inside the shelter. Nott made the donation in honor of his late wife Brenda and daughter Sarah, both avid animal lovers.

http://www.mydailyregister.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2017/09/web1_9.9-PPR-Shelter-2.jpgDog Warden Gary Trout, center, speaks to Rusty Nott, at left, and Stephen Littlepage of the Claflin Foundation at right, who both helped fund a project to regulate the temperatures inside the shelter. Nott made the donation in honor of his late wife Brenda and daughter Sarah, both avid animal lovers.